Motor vehicle horn switch assemblies on vehicles without driver side airbags are typically mounted on a pad located on the center of the steering wheel and, accordingly, are often referred to as "horn pads". The horn pad is typically mounted on a plate supported above the hub on the center of the steering wheel. The location of horn pads has proven to be effective because it is easy for drivers to locate and operate the horn, especially during emergency situations. Also, because most motor vehicles have horn pads, it is habit for many drivers to reach for a horn pad on the center of the steering wheel to operate the horn. Accordingly, if the horn switch assembly is moved to a different location, drivers typically, at first, find it difficult to access and operate the horn quickly.
A typical horn pad for use without a driver side airbag is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The horn pad includes a lower metal contact 1, which is electrically coupled to the horn, mounted on a pad 2 supported above the steering wheel hub (not shown). An upper metal contact 3 is also electrically coupled to the horn, and spaced above the lower contact 1 by a foam spacer 4. The upper contact 3 is seated immediately below a horn switch cover 5. When the cover 5 is depressed, the upper contact 3 is moved into contact with the lower contact 1 and, thus, closes the circuit to operate the horn. Both contacts are typically located in a central area of the steering wheel beneath the cover 5, making the horn pad easily accessible for the driver.
Motor vehicles with driver side airbags typically do not have a horn pad, or other type of horn switch assembly mounted above the steering wheel hub on the center of the steering wheel. Rather, the driver side airbag is mounted within an airbag module supported above the hub on the center of the steering wheel. When a driver side airbag is deployed, it is inflated with pressurized gas. The inflated airbag then breaks through an inner cover and an outer cover of the airbag module, to protect the driver.
Accordingly, if a conventional horn pad were mounted on the center of an airbag module (i.e., in the center of the steering wheel), such as the horn pad described above, it would be forced loose by the inflated airbag. The rapid action of the airbag could cause the metal contacts (or other components of the horn pad) to strike and injure a passenger in the vehicle. The same problem is encountered if another type of vehicle component is mounted in the center of the steering wheel above the airbag module--when the airbag is deployed, the components would be rapidly forced loose by the airbag and, in turn, possibly injure a passenger in the vehicle.
Therefore, although a horn switch is typically easier to operate when mounted on the center of a steering wheel, vehicle manufacturers to date have not utilized this location for horn switch assemblies with driver side airbags, in order to avoid the risk of injuring passengers when the airbag is deployed. Indeed, vehicle manufacturers have avoided mounting any vehicle components in the center of a steering wheel above an airbag module, to avoid the risk of any such components injuring a passenger when the airbag is deployed.
As a result, horn switch assemblies are typically mounted to one side of the airbag module, and no vehicle components are mounted above the airbag module in the center of the steering wheel. Accordingly, when the airbag is deployed, the horn switch assembly is maintained in place, and, thus, the risk of it (or any other vehicle components) striking any passengers is avoided. However, a significant disadvantage of such horn switch assemblies is that they are more difficult to access and to operate rapidly, especially in comparison to a typical horn pad supported above the hub on the center of a steering wheel.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to overcome the problems encountered in mounting a horn switch assembly and/or other components on the center of a steering wheel above an airbag module, without the risk of injuring the driver or other passengers with the components thereof when the airbag is deployed.